Sunday, February 20, 2011

WHITTIER, N.C. -- Police in western North Carolina are investigating a fatal shooting they believe took place when a man shot his niece after thinking an intruder was breaking into his home.

My heart goes out to Mr. Eller. This is so sad, so tragic ... it's heartbreaking. I sincerely hope he has the support network I imagine it will take to get through something like this. When I go off on rants here about guns and support for gun safety laws, it's not because I dislike the people who own guns, or don't understand why people feel like they want one. I worry about my family's safety every time I hear about a nearby break-in. It's only natural. But there is no reason, no evidence I can find, that convinces me having a gun would make us safer. Exactly the opposite. It precisely to prevent stories like the one above that I get all fired up when I talk about this stuff. Too many people are injured and killed, day in and day out, by accident alone -- never mind the those killed on purpose, because firearms are so prevalent and the information about their danger is so hard to come by.